In order to provide a comprehensive nutritional diet for pets, a method of manufacturing a pet food with palatability by granulating a pet food composition containing a blend of nutritionally balanced ingredients, heating the granules to alphatize the starch component and dry the granules, and then subjecting the granules to a frying treatment in oil at a temperature of not more than 180° C. has already been disclosed (Patent Document 1).
Further, a method of manufacturing a pet food in which a granulated pet food is molded into a flat plate shape using an extruder has also been disclosed (Patent Document 2). A flat plate-shaped pet food can be fed to a pet from the hand of the owner, and therefore satisfies both the owner and the pet.
The Maillard reaction is a reaction between sugars and proteins, which occurs upon heat processing and generates flavour compounds. Such flavour compounds include pyrazine compounds.